Unexpected Visitors
by The Utterly Fabulous Z
Summary: "I practice a modified version of Xenia. Need-tending first, questions later.""I wish I had a place like that...""You've been claimed... by...""Leave me alone...""I'm... afraid of losing her?""Don't go!""YOU WON'T CONTROL ME!""I feel kinda funny...""That's a deadly poison...""Bianca, you need to stay awake for me, okay?""I'm sorry...""BIANCA!""She's disappeared...""I love you."R&R!
1. Unexpected Visitors Arrive

Disclaimer! I don't own PJO or HOO! Part of my spamtastic new story barrage!

* * *

My tale starts while reading the Blood of Olympus… for the fourth or so time. I'm sitting in my kitchen, Soldatino playing in the background, warm green-and-gold-sprinkled molasses cookies next to me. Life is pretty normal, considering my dad's gone, my mom's on a business trip in Australia, and my sister… hopefully she's alright. I only have memories of Dad from when I was one or two. I remember him, with his cheery brown eyes and scruffy brown hair, my tiny hands smearing green frosting all over his face.

I get pulled from my reminiscing when I hear a knock at the door. I get up from my seat at the mahogany table after putting my book in my backpack and peer over the marble center island. I spot a girl a bit older than myself at the window, her black hair pulled into a loose braid, looking down at something. She appears to be speaking and her midnight-colored eyes are filled with worry and anxiety, though her face shows no emotion.

I make my way to the door and disarm the house. I open the door and gaze upon what the girl is looking at and talking to. A boy my age lies limp on the bench on the porch, his black hair sticking to his forehead, a grimace on his face. A short man with a baseball bat is checking his temperature. The man makes a face to as if to say, 'He's burning up'. I know I shouldn't invite complete strangers into my house, but being Hellenic Polytheistic, I practice a modified version of Xenia. I make sure I won't be harmed by those I'm inviting in, then tend to their needs. "Bring him in." I instruct without hesitation. The two look at me like I'm crazy. "What? I practice a slightly-modified version of Xenia. Need-tending first, questions later." I explain, opening the door more.

"Thank you." The girl murmurs, picking the boy up and maneuvering him inside, the short man following quickly after. I turn off the music and move the couch pillows in the family room. The girl places the boy down and the man stays by his side. I hand him a first-aid kit and he nods in thanks.

While the man cares for the boy on the couch, I take the girl into the kitchen and sit her at the table. I grab two mugs and start up the Keurig, poking my hand around in the Lazy-Susan for the hot chocolate K-Cups. "Take a cookie if you want." I call over my shoulder after spying the girl eying the cookies. She bashfully takes a cookie and I smile. Moments later, I meander back to the kitchen table with two cups of hot chocolate. "Chocolate is universal. Right?" I smile, remembering what Reyna said to Annabeth in the Mark of Athena.

The girl smiles gently back. "My thoughts exactly." I give her a quick once-over and decide she's not a threat to me. She sips her hot chocolate and wistfully sighs. "It's like I'm back where I belong…. With my friends and comrades…" She sighs again, staring into her mug.

"I wish I had a place like that…" I mutter. Going through school with no friends, single mom always on business trips, no dad to speak of, my sister…

"Hey, are you alright?" The girl asks. I snap out of my self-pity-wallowing and look at her. "You look like you're about to cry. Something wrong?" She asks, scooching her chair towards me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's nothing. Just thinking about some stuff I'd rather not remember." I wipe away the budding tears in my eyes. "I'm Bianca Polaris. And you are?" I introduce myself, sticking my hand for a handshake.

"Reyna. Just Reyna. A pleasure." Reyna takes my hand with a good, firm grip. I eye her skeptically. Is she who I think she is?

"The pleasure's mine. You've got a strong grip." I note casually, sipping my hot chocolate.

Reyna nods. "As do you. How did you come to get such a strong grip?" She replies.

I shrug. "Martial arts has taken up quite a bit of my time. And you?" I answer. Reyna pauses and appears to think over her answer.

"I sword fight, and I inherited my mother's strength. How long have you been practicing?" She ponders.

I do a bit of counting before replying. "Eight years." We continue to chat for a good fifteen minutes before the short man comes into the kitchen.

"Reyna, Cupcake's up, though he's a bit dazed. He's tripping all over himself." The short man explains.

"That's good to hear, Gleeson. I'll be right there." Reyna informs the short man.

The man turns to me. "Thanks for taking us in, Cupcake. Gleeson Hedge's the name, don't wear it out."

I smirk. "Bianca Polaris. Nice to meet you, Coach." Hedge goes wide-eyed.

"How did you know I was a coach?" He asks incredulously.

"I saw you with a baseball bat earlier. You didn't look like you played, so I figured that you're a coach." I reply, gears in my head slowly turning. "My Sherlockian powers of deduction are right again!" I cheer, doing a fist pump. I put Soldatino back on, albeit against my better judgement, and started singing along quietly; despite the fact I'm not alone.

"Tu sei il mio soldatino, la ragione per cui vivo. Non ti scordar di me, io vegliero su di te…" I hear a faint gasp behind me and I turn to see the boy from earlier leaning against the door frame.

"Where did… you hear that?" The boy asks warily, wobbling towards me. Reyna and Hedge move to steady him, but he pushes them away. "Where did you… hear that?" He asks again after my lack of response.

"Soundcloud. It's a music app." I reply, moving close to the boy. "My name's Bianca Polaris, what's yours?" I stick out my hand for a handshake, but the boy just stares wide-eyed at my extended appendage.

"Why are you being so nice? I've just met you." The boy responds, swaying the slightest bit. I take him by the shoulders and sit him in the nearest chair. The boy's expression turns to shocked, probably because I grabbed him.

"Is there something wrong with being nice to people? I just try and make peoples' days better. I listen to their problems and try to work out any reasonable solution. Is there something wrong with that?" I respond, looking the dark-haired boy straight in the eye.

"Nico." He mutters, looking away from my eyes. "My name is Nico."

I give him a cheery smile. "Nice to meet you, Nico. Want a cookie?" I push the plate towards him. He looks to Reyna and she nods, as if to say 'it's not poisoned'. He slowly reaches up and takes a cookie reluctantly. "So how are you feeling, Mister Nico?" I ask, flopping into the chair I was previously in.

"I've felt better. Why'd you invite us in?" Nico mumbles, swallowing a bite of molasses-y goodness. "We're quite the… sketchy… bunch."

"I practice a modified version of Xenia. I make sure who I'm inviting in won't hurt me, and the rest is pretty much the same." I sigh, and look out the window, wondering 'Dad, where are you?'.

"Hey. Are you sure you're alright? Bianca?" Reyna's voice pulls me out of my deep thought, her hand on my shoulder; shaking me slightly.

"Huh?" I ask, shaking my head quickly, to snap back to the present.

"You were spacing out again. You can tell us if something's wrong, well, maybe not Gleeson. He'll probably suggest breaking things." Reyna suggests. I chuckle a little at that.

"I just miss my family. Dad hasn't been home in thirteen years, my mom's in Australia on business for a few months, and Visucia…" I bite back a sob. "She's been gone for years." I manage to choke out.

"Sorry to pry, but who is Visucia?" Reyna asks quietly.

"My twin sister."

* * *

So, how was it?


	2. Accidents, French, and Disappearances

**My line breaks are made of Baymax faces. ONLY 25 PEOPLE HAVE READ THIS. BROKEN WINGS HAS 4912 READS. SERIOUSLY, WHY AREN'T PEOPLE READING THIS?!**

* * *

I took a deep breath before continuing. "It happened back when I was five. Mom, Visucia, and I were at the park playing hide-and-seek. Mom had already found me and we were looking for Visucia. We found her, but she was out cold in a strange man's arms and he was getting into a van. Mom tried to stop him and called the police, but it was too late. We haven't seen or heard from her or the kidnapper since. I know she's not dead, I just _know_."

I look down at my hands, only to find them shaking. Something wet and hot rolls down my cheek. I'm… crying? "I'll be back in a few minutes." I mutter shakily, standing up and heading through the garage. I need to stop running from everything, the past, my fears, and towards the future.

•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•

Nico's POV

After all of the monster fighting, dealing with the Reyna's past and my insecurities, and shadow-traveling, I come down with a fever.

The Fates really don't like me, do they?

The last thing I remember is accidentally shadow-traveling into someone's yard before passing out, then waking up on a couch hearing someone singing Soldatino.

It turns out the person's name is Bianca and she's lost her sister, and she lives with just her single mom. Like me, I suppose. She also shoved me into a chair and offered me cookies, which could rival Sally's cooking.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." Bianca stands up and walks through a doorway, her hands shaking and tears in her eyes. I looks towards Reyna, whose eyes were filled with pity and a need to help.

"She's been through hard times, hasn't she? She kind of reminds me of us." Reyna's gaze rests on the doorway. I nod in agreement.

"She smells different than a mortal, but not like a monster or a demigod. There's something odd about her." Hedge remarks.

After a few minutes, I stand up, ugh, weakly and head towards the doorway Bianca went through. "Nico, what are you doing?" Reyna asks. "You should be resting."

"I'm fine. I'm gonna find Bianca." I reply without turning around. Truth is, I feel like I had been dipped in the Phlegethon. My body aches all over and I feel like I'm on fire like Leo is when he's excited or freaking out. I step through the doorway and see an open door with a flight of stairs. I descend the stairs, hand latching onto the railing as if I was going to pass out if I let go.

Faint music is coming from behind a door that says 'Keep Out, Archery in Session'. I opened the door to find a soundproof archery range, music blaring, and Bianca furiously shooting bullseye after bullseye. "What did the target ever do to you?" I ask over the music.

Bianca whirls around and, what appears to be subconsciously, fires the nocked arrow at me, missing my ear by mere inches.

•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•

I had been shooting and a voice came out of nowhere. I instinctively turned and shot, missing Nico's head by a few inches.

"Oh gods, Nico, I'm so sorry, did I hurt you?" I ask worriedly, pulling out of my trance and rushing towards the boy.

"No, I'm alright. I'm guessing there was a 'Keep Out' sign for a reason." Nico mutters.

"That's good to hear. I've nearly shot my mom on multiple occasions." I turn red for saying that and Nico smirks. "I come down here to… free myself from the world, if that makes sense. It's my safe haven, books in one corner, the spare fridge all to myself, beanbag chairs, wifi, art supplies, anything I could need if when I feel like the world's against me." I look at the black-haired boy's face. His dark eyes seem kinda unfocused and a faint blush was spread across his deathly pale face. "Nico, are you okay? Nico?" I ask worriedly.

His eyes close and he slumps forwards, almost hitting the floor of not for my fast reflexes. His breathing is changing at random intervals, and his forehead is burning up. I drag him over to an orange beanbag before running to the door and letting out a high-pitched shriek. Why does the universe have to worry me with fainting boys?

•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•

Reyna's POV.

Gleeson and I were discussing how to get the Athena Parthenos, which landed in Bianca's backyard, back to Camp Half-Blood when I heard a scream. I jolt out of my seat, and Gleeson does the same. "Gleeson, stay here." I call, racing through the doorway and down the stairs.

When I reach the end of the stairs, I find an open door and hear Bianca inside. "Bianca! What's wrong?" I ask, running into the room. I then spot Nico on a beanbag chair, wrapped in a blanket and shivering, a grimace marring his face. He looks so fragile and vulnerable, lying there like that.

Bianca bursts into tears. "He said he was feeling better a-and I nearly shot him with an arrow a-and he fainted a-and I don't know what to do!" She wails.

I look at her in surprise. "You nearly shot Nico?" I ask and she cries even more. "Never mind, I'm sure it was an accident. He'll be alright, he puts a lot of strain on himself often, so it's no surprise that he fainted. He'll be fine in a day or so. You don't have to cry, he'd tell you the same thing." I reassure her, and Bianca slowly stops crying.

"O-okay. He's got a really high fever, chills, and judging by the grimace, he's in pain." Bianca takes a deep breath. "Be safe, le petit prince des ombres." She kisses her finger and places it on Nico's forehead.

The son of Hades' face goes slack, his breathing evens out, he stops shivering and the pink across his cheeks fades by half. "Très meilleur. Sleep well, le petit prince des ombres." Bianca murmurs and Nico reaches out from under the blanket, only to grab Bianca's hand. She said something in French… what did she say? How did she heal Nico?

"Sis, don't leave. I can't lose you again." He mumbles, pulling Bianca's hand towards himself. He must be dreaming about _his_ Bianca, poor thing.

Using her other hand, Bianca pulls up a gold and green glittery beanbag and plops next to Nico. I pull one over as well, a purple one. The question leaves my mouth before I can even process what I'm doing. "How did you do that?"

•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•—•


End file.
